KALITA WAVE BREWING GUIDE: LEVEL-UP YOUR HOME COFFEE ROUTINE

The Kalita Wave offers the ideal introduction to pour-over coffee. Let’s learn how to use it!

Pour-over coffee has an unfounded reputation for being finicky and challenging to master. While it’s true that there are plenty of variables to tweak if you’re so inclined, it’s actually a very straightforward brewing method. 

The Kalita Wave is a great brewer to start with. Its flat-bottom design makes it easier to control the water flow and achieve an even extraction compared to conical devices. Indeed, it’s the pour-over dripper I most often recommend for beginners.

Today, I’m going to teach you a simple and reliable recipe to get started with the Kalita Wave. It’s the perfect foundation on which to build your pour-over expertise.

How To Brew Coffee With The Kalita Wave

Brewing with the Kalita Wave coffee dripper follows the same basic principle of any pour-over recipe, which I’ll outline below for the uninitiated.

The Wave comes in two sizes. The smaller 155 is best for single serve brewing. This recipe is for the larger 185, which can brew between one and four cups. 

Note that you can’t use standard coffee filters with the Wave; you need to buy the specific filters designed for the 185. The filters are quite delicate, so make sure you store them upright in your cupboard (don’t squash them). This is one of the few frustrations of this brewing method compared to many others.

What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for the Kalita Wave?

The Golden Ratio, as recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association, is 1:17. But there is plenty of room to maneuver depending on your taste – and the type of coffee you brew. You can experiment between about 1:14 and 1:20. Personally, I prefer a slightly bolder cup, so this recipe uses a 1:15 coffee to water ratio.

What grind size is best for brewing with the Kalita Wave?

Start with a standard medium grind and tweak from there if necessary. If it tastes a bit thin and sour, go slightly finer. If it’s too bold and bitter, go a slightly coarser. Each bean is a little different. For reference, I used setting 15 on a Baratza Encore with a medium roast.

The Step-By-Step Kalita Wave 185 Recipe

Now that you have your supplies assembled, let’s get started! If you want more visual guidance, Steven from Home Brews Coffee guides you through it in this video: https://youtu.be/W74fTR6mBv4

Step 1: Grind The Coffee

Grind your coffee beans to medium using a burr grinder. Flat or conical burrs are both fine; just steer clear of blade grinders.

Step 2: Boil The Water

Add around 16 ounces of water to your kettle and set it on the stove to boil.

Place the Kalita Wave coffee brewer over a carafe or mug and add the paper filter. Once the water is boiling, use a small amount to rinse the filter. This eliminates any papery flavor and also preheats the dripper and carafe.

Pour any water out of the decanter. Set the kettle aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Add The Coffee

Add the ground coffee into the filter, and shake it to level the grounds. Place the coffee scale under the carafe and tare to zero. 

Step 4: The First Pour (Bloom Phase)

After about 30 seconds off the heat, the water in your kettle should have cooled to between 195 and 205°F, the ideal temperature for brewing coffee (1). You can check it with a thermometer if you want.

Start your timer and pour roughly 60 grams of water on top of the coffee bed in the filter. Pour in concentric circles to ensure all the coffee grounds are saturated. Let the coffee bloom for at least 30 seconds – up to a minute if you’re using very freshly roasted beans (2).

Step 5: The Second Pour (Brewing)

I use the pulse pouring method, which is both consistent and easy to master (3).

Once the coffee has bloomed, stir the slurry with a spoon to submerge the crust. 

Now proceed with a second pour. Start the pour in the center of the brew bed and pour in spiral motions outwards and back to the center until you’ve added a total of 200 grams of water. As that drips through, keep pouring in pulses to maintain an even water level.

Stop when the scale under the carafe indicates that you have added a total of 360 grams of water. Total brew time should be around 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

Final Thoughts

The Kalita Wave dripper is one best pour-over coffee makers for anyone considering hand brewing for the first time. Combining its forgiving flat-bottom design with a pulse brewing strategy virtually guarantees a great cup of coffee every time. If you’ve been wondering how to explore specialty coffee at home, start with the recipe above. You won’t regret it!